


Fight or Flight

by Craseelix1190



Category: Dinosaurs (Anthropomorfic), Dinosaurs - Fandom, Jurassic Park (Movies), Jurassic World (2015)
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Blood, Death, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Fear, Genetic Engineering, Humor, Hybrids, Indominus Rex - Freeform, Injury, Plot Arc, Plot Twists, Possible Eventual Smut?, Respect for nature, Romance, Violence, WIP, mutations, relationships, taming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2015-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-06 07:54:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4213959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Craseelix1190/pseuds/Craseelix1190
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caitlyn Montgomery Clark, a bioengineering chemist and genomics expert, has been recruited into Jurassic World–the all new, fantastic, reinvented theme park that can scare not only your children but your parents as well. The only issue is when Caitlyn creates a new hybrid, a new species of dinosaur, she must scramble to pick up the pieces left behind from the Indominus Rex's chaos. Owen/OC Romance/Adventure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue - Only the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> |»| Hey guys! So here's the Prologue to my new story, Fight or Flight! I got so much inspiration from watching the new Jurassic World movie (completely fantastic, amazingly awesome and nice movie! Loved it beyond belief) So I figured I'd write a FanFiction/AO3 for it! Disclaimer! I don't own any of the characters (except my OC, Caitlyn). It's going to be a romance story but also filled with action and plot and awesomeness, so please enjoy! (P.S. if this leads to a one time romantic encounter then it will be here, but my other story will probably not be as graphic, and it can be found on my FanFiction account of the same name!) P.P.S That will probably only happen towards the end of the story, but who knows.

Fear |fi(ə)r|, noun; an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.

Hybrid |ˈhīˌbrid|, noun; a thing made by combining two different elements; a mixture.

Monster |ˈmänstər|, noun; an imaginary creature that is typically large, ugly, and frightening.

i.e. a congenitally malformed or mutant animal or plant.

Human |ˈ(h)yoōmən|, adjective; of, relating to, or characteristic of people or human beings.

Life. The evolution of multiple lines and families of animals, species that have adapted and changed time and time again to survive. Humans are a very small part of life, just a small point on the large graph of life on earth. So young in our existence we question our stance in the world, in time, in the universe. So much we believe we know yet so little we seem to understand – this in fact is truly an understatement. We have cajoled ourselves into thinking that we are rightly the dominant and most advanced species to live and have lived on this earth, more intelligent than all and seemingly more so than some. We have never been so wrong.


	2. Abomination

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> |»| Hey! So here's chapter one of the Fight or Flight series, and it's looking great so far. It's going to be a story with a lot of chapters (I think) that will be shortened so that you can jump from one chapter to the next without taking too much time (but that doesn't mean there won't be larger chapters). It just makes it easier to make weekly or so chapters, depending on the content and stuff, but eh! Enjoy! Read! Follow! Favorite! Comment! Love itttttt! Please! <3 :)

Chapter 1-Abomination

I paced around the lab nervously, biting my fingernails to stave off from opening that doorknob and seeing what awaited me on the laboratory table. Two years, I realized, two years I have been here, working for Jurassic World, recreating genetics and constructing genomes to create better and healthier dinosaurs. Two years of struggle, success and complete failure. When the board had come to us in a meeting, discussing how the Park had begun to decline in visitors. Apparently the lackluster attractions and corny settings displeased tourists, and the concept of a Stegosaurus was no longer pleasing to the general audiences. They didn't want slow and dull. They wanted big, bad and dangerous. Tyrannosaurus Rex? Too well known, too mundane. The people cheered for a large demon from hell, and the board agreed with them. Being a college graduate from Harvard as a science major, no matter how much knowledge I had obtained, I was needed in very little places. To deny creating a monster was to deny my future, and I was more hesitant in doing that.

I sucked in a deep breath, hitched my resolve to an all new level, and pushed through the lab doors and into the testing room. On the small counter sat two medium sized looking eggs, perhaps a quarter the size of an ostrich egg which was easily bigger than some children's heads. A claw dug its way out of the alabaster white shell, red tinted mucus and slimy fetus material draining slowly from the roundness. Slowly, bit by bit, the creature dug its head out and poked through the shell, quickly gaining its footing on the white table. The sister egg, trying to escape as well, cooed softly. It fell upon my ears like a faint crackling noise. The brother slowly meandered his way to the egg, stabbing its smaller claws through the shell and the cooing abruptly ended. I exhaled, my eyes wandering around the room, at anything to stop myself from looking at those blinking orange eyes that seem to  _know_  way too much. I grasped my clipboard to my side and quickly made my way out of the room, choosing instead to witness the rest of the small dinosaurs' acts from the sky deck observation room.

I stood there, watching the small animal work its way around the lab, sniffing her surroundings. My crew cheered behind me, excited that not only had they created a fully functioning killing machine, but apparently because their pay grade would also increase. The dinosaur looked at me once again, its eyes slinking back, a grey film covering them for a moment before opening and looking at me with curious eyes. I felt my heart rate increase in my chest as I began to second guess what I had done. I closed my eyes, wished it all to be a dream but when I opened them the men and women behind me still cheered and the small raptor still eyed me in the most freakishly intelligent way. It was like it could see what I knew, see what I thought. It took a tentative step forward, and then another, until it was directly underneath the glass. I tried to calm myself, to tell myself that it would all work out fine, but I  _felt_  in my gut that what I had done was wrong.  _I_  had created an abomination.  _I_  had to finish what  _I_  had started.

Cautiously I walked towards the kill switch, an important mechanism installed into the hardware of the room so that if need be, we could gas the room with noxious fumes before anything ever made it out. It would be that easy. I would lose what I spent months working on, two years of anticipation in the making. It would be that easy. None of my colleagues noticed my internal struggle, my morality fighting with my sense. I grasped the small lever in my hand, ready to extinguish this life from the lab, from the earth.

"That's a wrap, people!" Claire, my manager, burst through the doors with a wide grin spread across her face. Quickly my fingers darted behind my back, itching to change what fate had in store. What I knew would happen inevitably. I bit my lip as she neared me, her high heels clacking annoyingly against the steel plating of the floor. She grasped me quickly and hugged me, her arms holding me tightly as if we had been friends for years.

"This is it! The new and improved Jurassic World will be up and running with the new species in only a year, maybe even less time depending on how fast it grows!" She clasped her hands together in front of her face, eyes alight like a child's. I'm sure she was getting a higher wage too. Money seemed to dominate all of this and the thought sickened me. Doctor Akio Hayashi spoke up, his face a mixture of pride and shock.

"She, Claire. The dinosaur is a female, and she must be named. Caitlyn, I think you should do the honors since you created her." I gnawed the inside of my cheek, turning to the sound of my name. Once I registered what Hayashi had said my eyes widened and I slowly looked back at the creature– _the thing_ –behind me. Immediately I thought of the name, something I had learned in my Latin class as a student in high school.

"Indominus." I said quietly, my voice lost in the silence of the room. All ears and eyes were turned to me with a look of confusion.

"What does that mean?" Claire asked, her irritatingly high pitched voice crackling within the room. Hayashi, having taken Latin himself as most archeologists and scientists in the field of ours do, answered with a slightly shushed tone.

"It means, boss: fierce or untamed king." Slowly, the raptor turned his head and blinked at the window.


	3. RIP

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caitlyn finds out who the alpha of the Raptor Paddock is, and it isn't a raptor.

Chapter 2-R.I.P

It had been seven months since Indominus was hatched, and already it succeeded its predecessors in size, weight, consumption and intelligence. Not only was it specifically bred to be a cold blooded hunter, but it was also raised in a controlled environment to shield it from the view of others. Especially those that would be more than willing to sneak a peek while the Rex was sneaking a chew. He stayed hidden, most days at least, staying away from our view and only being visible by his heat signature. Today, however, was the day that we tested the containment system and Claire had me meeting a specialist trainer for the Raptor Intelligence Program better known as RIP. I found the acronym ironic, especially since every day I was practically sure that it would be our last.

I hopped into the park jeep, a sleek black car that had the Jurassic World insignia blazed in beautiful turquoise colors on the hood. I had to admit that Costa Rica was a beautiful island for the park to be held, flourishing jungles, even beautiful rivers and lakes. I had heard some things about the Raptor trainer, but not much could be said except that he was a trained specialist and was loyal to his job and the animals he worked with. My heeled foot pressed on the gas pedal and I began moving throughout the park, watching the scenery and the diverse fauna pass me by. The tourists ignored my presence entirely, the black car moving slowly throughout the crowds of people. Silently I wondered whether what we created was worth it for these people, the ones that always sought something better. A little girl passed in front of the car, a small pink dress adorning her little body while her father led her by the hand. I cringed, the vision of the Indominus slowly preying behind her playing in the back of my mind.

The car pulled to a soft stop, the hum of the motor purring. I waited as the small train system helping traveling guests move throughout the further parts of the park pass, the swoosh of air and the rumble of the tracks still rattling me. I had been on edge ever since I learned that Indominus would be on view within the next few weeks. On display, I mused quietly, it was like the dinosaur was a trinket on a shelf to these people. I shook my head at the thought, silent disdain filling the empty car and sitting next to me like a living entity. The further I got away from the main buildings the more I began to see thick jungle instead of forest and grass land–dirt road instead pavement. I drove to the Section 5 stop where the training would be, and moved swiftly through the rest of the area. There was an alcove not too far from the gates that most bungalows were situated in, acting as living spaces for most of the trainers in the park. Unless you were the high of the highest, you didn't get to live in the park itself.

Section by section the road began to curve and I was at the alcove. It was an amazingly small piece of flat land amongst the jungle, close to the coast of the ocean so that when I rolled down the window the fresh scent of ocean air wafted around me. I noticed that away from the park the heat was a lot less tolerable, the sun beating down hard and unrelenting on the workers. The car stopped at the first bungalow I saw, and I paused, wondering whether or not I should get out. "Pull yourself together, Cat," I murmured to myself in the car, but even that didn't seem to help much. I opened the car door with a click and walked onto the grass, realizing with horror that my heels were not exactly the best attire for this kind of visit.

"Hello?" I called, peeking my head around the small living space before I heard a rustling and footsteps. The wind chimes that hung on the porch whistled with the wind, made of a material I wasn't quite familiar with. A darker man walked out of the interior door, his side leaning against the small frame. He barely fit there, his shoulders wide and too tall for the doorway.

"And you might be?" His voice was deep with an accent I couldn't quite place, but I stepped forward on the uneven dirt and tried to look as calm as possible. As if that would happen with every passing second feeling as though I was about to break my neck in these things. I stepped onto the porch with ease and outstretched my hand, looking the man in the eyes and waiting. He eyed me suspiciously, his body radiating a certain level of scorn. I sucked in a deep breath and dropped my hand. I realized that the wind chimes were made out of bones.  
"Caitlyn. Caitlyn Montgomery Clark. I'm with the–" The man cut me off and smiled wide.

"Ah, Caitlyn. We've been awaiting you here." My eyebrows knit together in my forehead, uncertainty piling within the pit of my stomach. "I'm Barry, an assistant of the intelligence program that goes on here. I file the papers." He gave me a smile that spoke of things I had yet to learn, but he walked back into the small house and I followed, my heels making an obnoxious sound against the wood.

"May wanna take those off before you meet the big trainer here." I gave him a look.

"Not so fond of high heels?" Barry grinned from ear to ear and sat in a chair across of me, knitting his fingers behind his head, arms outstretched. He wore a simple white t-shirt, I noticed. Not the training gear we had paid for the employees to use, but simple clothes instead. The entire bungalow seemed simple, as if it was a temporary place and not a place that he had been living in for probably more than two years. He shuffled around some papers, pulled out a report and handed it to me, his eyes alight with some sort of humor which I was lost to completely.

"Not fond of is an understatement, dear Caitlyn. Here, follow me."

I read the report as I followed Barry to the Velociraptor containment, my eyes scanning over the folder along with the few papers that came with it. I shared a curious look with Barry.

"What is this that says the raptors will be used for missions?" He took a deep breath and rubbed his bald head, an obvious nervous tick. I bit my lip, expecting the worst. As we neared the facility, I began to hear the strange calls of the raptors, their shrill voices reaching us across the yard. I began to feel my heart race in my chest. I had learned the ways of raptors, pack hunting animals who enjoyed being fast and intelligent predators. Barry turned around and begun walking backwards so he could face me as we moved forward.

"Our boss here, Vic, thinks he can use the girls' for military missions. Exercises. Thinks the raptors are like animals that can be tamed," he snorted condescendingly. "I wouldn't mind him being especially surprised at their..." He moved his hand, searching for the word. "Intelligence?" I questioned, but Barry shook his head and gave me a hard look. "Viciousness." Without the consent of my nervous body, I began laughing. I tried to contain my fear at the animals that we were approaching, but I supposed meeting carnivorous animals was a part of my job description. One I wasn't entirely favorable of. Barry eyed me out of the corner of his gaze, but said nothing, as if I wasn't as important as I truly was. For that at least I was glad. I hated getting special treatment because I technically had a higher pay grade and higher badge number. I looked around, astonished by the amount of men in the field, most of them clad in black with sidearms and simmering eyes.

"Am I the only woman here?" Barry chuckled but stayed close, watching the other men in the field with a cautious yet easygoing manner.

"Unfortunately for you, yes. Not many women that have come here have handled the job, so we usually stick with men. That's probably why you're getting all these looks right now." I chewed on my bottom lip, trying to ignore the pairs of eyes I felt on my body as I moved through the grass. One more step and I hit dirt, my feet already thanking me for putting them on something sturdier than moist jungle soil. I let out an involuntary sigh of contentment, the heat bearing down on me with an accurate precision and warmth. I rubbed my arm, nervous that I was so close to the animals within the cage. I heard a hissing noise and looked to my side, surprised to see a pair of honey eyes staring at me. Slanted pupils dilated by a fraction, the raptors' head cocking to the side as if she was analyzing me. I jumped back, the shock of seeing the raptor sending me into who I assumed was Barry, but was shocked again to find another man that gripped my shoulders with a calming sturdiness.

"Woah there, you're not raptor chow yet." The man chuckled and rubbed his neck, releasing his hold on me. "May wanna take off the heels though, they make running harder." He winked at me and walked forward, a bucket of dead mice in one hand and a small gadget in the other. I sucked in a deep breath and stared after the man, my heart a cacophonous drum in my chest. I wasn't sure if it was due to him or the raptor, but all I knew was that it probably wouldn't go away any time soon. Blood rushed through my veins and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears as I eyed the raptor cautiously, while the animal simply stared back, curious.

"That's Blue." The man above me called, his smirk of self confidence a little discomforting. He was well built with strong, muscled arms and powerful legs clad in dark navy jeans and a blue shirt and signature hunting vest. He had blonde brown curls that curved over his head, ruffled as if he hadn't brushed his hair. The man clicked with his mouth, calling the attention of the raptor who gave me one last final stare before hissing and trotting carefully into the view of the man above us. As she moved, I saw a beautiful blue strip of color adorn her crown all the way to her tail, the color striking. Barry motioned forward, and I climbed the steps, watching the trainer carefully climb onto a railing that hung above the pen, his eyes alight with a fire I only usually saw in children's eyes when they witnessed their first dinosaur in the park. Excitement and exhilaration, not to mention fear, but all of them were perfectly balanced on his features, not one giving way too much.

The man threw a look at me from over his shoulder and raised his head. "I'm Owen, if you haven't already read the report." I looked down guiltily at the folder in my hands, the one page I hadn't read flashing his face and name like a huge banner sign.

"Caitlyn Clark," I spoke in a hushed tone, still afraid of the raptor down below. The man, Owen, smiled and looked down into the ring. He dropped the bucket onto the metal railing with an unceremonious plop and leaned against the iron bar that kept him from falling over into the pit. Barry looked from Owen to me and then walked forward, whispering something into the trainer's ear. He broke into a wide grin and looked over at me. After a moment when Barry came back to the main platform, Owen motioned for me to move forward. I gave him a confused look. "Mr. Grady, I'm not sure if you were notified of my intent–" He chuckled and used the device in his hand to click for the attention of the raptors.

"C'mere girls." He did a series of clicks and nodded to Barry who flipped a switch. "Of course I know your intentions. You want me to spot check your security system for the new dinosaur." My eyes widened as four raptors appeared down below and I watched as Owen smiled like he had won the world. I hated to admit it, but I found his smile sweet, and I tried to ignore the way I almost followed him when he motioned me over.

"So Mr. Grady, are you willing to do it? The pay will be a fine sum and we can make sure–" I paused as I realized he wasn't even listening to me. As I stopped speaking, Owen picked his head up and looked at me strangely. I returned his look and moved forward to lean against the guard rail.

"You seem disinterested, Mr. Grady." He moved his hands and clicked, watching the raptors down below him.

"Don't play with me like that Charlie, get into position." He was talking to them, communicating with them and they paid attention. I leaned even closer towards him, watching the raptors stare at him as he took a rat out of the bucket and dangled it above them. A raptor with blue stripes running down its sides growled and hissed, jumping into the air with his claws outstretched–eyes set on Owens'. I raptly watched them interact, the way Owen positioned himself as if he was the authority even though he was no where near them. They watched him, followed him, as if he was their pack leader, like he was the alpha.

"It's amazing," I whispered to no one in general, the thought that millions of years of instinct and distrust could now form and change with this bond that Owen had made with them was extraordinary. I could tell they were still wild animals, but they had Owen on a different level; held him with a different regard. I stared wide eyed at Owen's ministrations, each careful move conducted with an ease and gracefulness I hadn't seen in a long time. He didn't move with fear and he didn't even seem to have any, locking his eyes with each raptor and staring them down.

"Caitlyn." My eyes darted to his at the sound of my name, my heart beating faster with that one word on his lips. We looked at each other for what seemed longer than a minute but was probably only a few seconds, and he twisted his head, inviting me onto the strip of railing. My fingers shook but before I opened the safety gate I took off my heels, relishing in the feel of the stupid shoes being off of my feet, and I padded slowly past the safety gate and to Owen's side. He stretched out his hand and I looked at it, deciding whether or not this was truly a smart idea. Hesitantly I placed my hand in his and he pulled me closer, our hips and shoulders touching. It was like I had touched an electric fence, my body revving to life and a current of heat running through my body.

"Do you want to try?" He asked, turning his head slightly at me and raising the bucket of feed. The raptor from before, Blue, growled and clawed at the dirt with her feet in anticipation. I tried to regulate my breathing, which seemed to be failing miserably, and nodded. My tongue felt like a knot in my throat, as if no matter how I tried I wouldn't be able to speak. He handed me a dead rat and I stared at it as if it was the devil himself.

"Before you throw it down, look at the raptor you want to feed, call her name and then click." He slipped the clicker into my hand, and I shivered, the graze of his calloused hands against mine sending sparks through me. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts of whatever it was that I was thinking, because what I was thinking was freaking crazy.  _Calm yourself, Cat,_ I told myself but the rest of me didn't seem to want to listen. I threw a cautious look at Owen, my eyes probably holding the fear that I dared not say. He nodded reassuringly and leaned over the rail to look at the raptors down below. I exhaled slowly, looked at Blue and called.

"Blue," and the raptors' eyes switched from Owen to me in an instant. She stepped forward carefully, watching me with undying attention and unmeasured intelligence. I clicked the device in my hand and gently threw the rat at the raptor. She jumped,  _high_ , catching it midair and chewing it whole. Blue doubled back around and stared at me. She called and the other raptors–Echo, Charlie and Delta–circled underneath us as if preying on us from below.

"See how she called their attention? She's the beta of the group." He gave me a small smile and took the clicker back from my hand. I felt unsteady so I gripped the back of the bar, the metal cooling my overheated skin.

"So then who's the alpha?" He turned his full attention to me, eyes alight with satisfaction but also humor.

"You're looking at him."


	4. Tame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No animal with 65 million years of instinct can be tamed, and it seems some will have to learn that the hard way.

Chapter 3-Tame

I paced nervously on the deck of the Raptor Paddock, watching Owen's training drill. He was flawless, paying perfect attention without being too cocky in his actions. The raptors followed him like he was their true leader, although Blue would occasionally disobey Owen's command or call. Blue was the most conniving, somehow finding secret routes to try and catch Owen off guard throughout the routine. Owen simply smiled a dazzling smile and kept working, running the raptors around the pit, making them stop and create a formation. I stood there taking all of it in, the hot sun bearing down on me and the ocean breeze filling up the air in my lungs. Watching him work with the raptors was nothing short of extraordinary and I felt like a bystander to the changing of millennia. I had learned the behavioral instincts of both animals and people, both over time and through my psychology classes, but none of what I had learned pointed to the loyalty of ancient intelligent animals changing the factors of evolution and instinct.

The small pig that ran around the cage escaped the raptors by only a second, its squealing reaching the ears of the men around me, and especially the raptors. Blue and Delta hissed and scratched at the ground with their claws but Owen called them over.

"Echo, Charlie, Delta, Blue, get in position. You know what to do, stop acting funny 'cause of the girl." All of the raptors except Blue formed the line, and instead he chose to walk insidiously underneath the rail walkway exactly where I was. Owen chuckled and clicked the device in his hand.

"I'd hate to say it Caitlyn, but I think Blue likes you." I bit my lip and knelt down to look at the raptor from the small spaces in between the grating. The raptor paused, stared into my eyes and gave a high pitched wail before he responded to Owen's clicking and moved beside her sister, Delta. I carefully took off my over shirt, making sure not to make sudden movement if the raptors decided they wanted to see if they could reach me and make me into the new raptor chow as Owen had pointed out only a few minutes before. I wrapped the black shirt around my waist, my tank top already lined with sweat from the heat.

I realized that I wasn't supposed to be here to watch the training, since the boss Vic sent in annual reports that Barry probably assembled, but seeing it for myself was something much different. I remembered seeing the posters for Jurassic Park when I was a small child, that same dilapidated park somewhere here on Isla Nublar under intense security protocol. Seeing Owen work like this reawakened those long forgotten memories of my childhood, those days where I could sit with my toy dinosaurs for hours and dream. I dreamed of being able to see them, feel them,  _create_  them. The Jurassic park initiative along with the creation of the InGen Corporation fueled my desire to go into genetics and become a lead scientist for Jurassic World's team. If my passion and love for my job couldn't do it, then I would bet big sums of money no one else could.

"You can't just suppress sixty five million years of gut instinct." Those were Dr. Grant's words in his book after the failings of Jurassic Park, but here, right in front of me, I watched Owen disprove those words, even slightly. Dr. Grant had worked tirelessly with my father as an archeologist, and I had had the amazing chance to grow up next to him, learning from his expertise. We still kept in touch despite his adamant displeasure with my job at the park. Since my dad had died, he was always acting like my father–trying to protect me. When I had joined the lab team, he had told me to never underestimate the intelligence of animals and the stupidity of people. To some point, I agreed.

I looked over my shoulder at Barry, who couldn't wipe a large grin off of his face.

"Has he ever done that with someone before?" I asked, and the large man shook his head and gave me a look that I couldn't quite understand.

"You're the first. Probably 'cause Blue gave you the nod." He lifted his head towards the Raptor Paddock in acknowledgment of the raptor who now bristled with fury as Owen withheld a rat from him.

"The nod?" I questioned, a little curious as to the interactions with the raptors and their trainer as well. I was supposed to be here to convince Owen to join the safety/security protocol check so that the Indominus could be showed, but I found myself wanting to forget that more and more. He gave me a small laugh, positioned himself with his hands knitted together in front of him and over the railing, and spoke to me from behind his back.

"Blue does this thing with Owen when he gives him a command. Ya see?" He pointed to the raptor as Owen commanded them and moved the sisters over to the other side of the rail. He clicked and threw a rat down to Blue and the raptor made a noise similar to pleasure.

"He did that same thing with you, when you looked at him. Owen, being the perception junkie that he is, probably noticed it and wanted to see if Blue would take to you." I gulped at the thought, my breath hitching in my throat. The idea of Blue looking at me the way she looked at Owen thrilled me but terrified me just the same. Involuntarily I smiled, looking to the dark haired, handsome Owen at his work. My thoughts wandered and I shook myself, trying to rid the things running through my head.

The pig below squealed, running from the raptors with the speed that kept him just out of their grasp. I knew that the raptors were much faster than the baby pig, but yet the ran after it more for sport than for prey. Silently I wondered if animals could hunt for enjoyment rather than hunger, and it would explain why the small pig was still alive. Quickly the piglet ran into a section of the wall, safe from the raptors who ran up to the little hole and  _clawed_. Owen grinned like a madman and walked off the rail, one hand nervously running through his hair. Barry clapped his hands and a larger man with grey hair walked up the steps from behind me, his stride large.

"Look at that! You've tamed 'em!" Owen grasped Barry's hand and shook it before turning to the man who was now beside me and giving him a blank look. The disinterest dripping from Owen would've been funny if it didn't feel dead serious.

"They're not tamed, Vic." Barry intercepted before Owen could speak, his mouth closing before he obviously said something smart. I turned around and gave the man a once over, his appearance worn down and tired, yet he let off nothing but exuberance.

"You kiddin me? Look at them down there! Owen you've got them girls wrapped around your finger." Vic chuckled and Owen simply rolled his eyes at the pun. He pushed past Vic and took down the steps like he was running for his life. I walked up to the man who Barry had told me before was in charge, and outstretched my hand.

"Vic? I'm Caitlyn Clark, with the Genetics Lab for Jurassic World." He took my hand and looked at me as if I had grown a second head.

"You the one that made that new thing in the exhibit that's supposed to be aired in the next few weeks?" Did  _everyone_  know about that? It was supposed to be a secret project held by Masrani Global and InGen technology and yet here all the people I talked to seemed to know what it was before I could take another breath or word. I guessed that being on a small island could lead to rumors and gossip spreading. There wasn't a lot of staff on the island-other then the SWAT team and the general staff-and they usually occupied themselves with their chatter and stories. Or the stories of others.

I sighed and nodded, slightly glad that Owen hadn't been around to hear me admit to that. He seemed to be that type of guy; the original rough and tough ego based guy who liked to ride motorcycles and talk about guns and girls. He also reminded me slightly of Dr. Grant, and I figured he wouldn't enjoy the idea of me just creating a new dinosaur akin to a monster. I began walking down the steps after Owen and watched as he walked towards a motorcycle and slowly took off his vest. The buttons left open on his shirt that showed nothing but a small expanse of tanned skin practically made me faint. I blamed it on the extreme heat but I knew I wasn't doing anything but lying to myself. He threw the vest over the arm of the bike and turned around, leaning against the seating. He raised and eyebrow at me but his eyes then focused from beyond me and past me, to the approaching voices I could now hear. So he did have a bike.

"C'mon Barry, don't fight me on this. You know damn well those things are ready for field tests. Can you imagine a war being fought with those things?" His loud voice had gotten considerably louder and he was practically brooding behind the poor Barry who's eyes now bulged. A large hand settled at the small of my back and I had to suppress a small gasp of surprise. I looked to my side and saw Owen behind me, a look of humor on his face as he watched his poor friend get railroaded by Vic. I shuddered as I felt the heat of his skin radiate behind me, seeping through my skin like lava. His fingers on my back slowly kneaded my skin, almost as if he was nervous. All I knew was that I was too much more nervous than him with his presence behind me reminding me that I hadn't had a boyfriend or even an interest in the past two years. Other than that new guy at the lab that flirted with me when he first joined the team but I didn't really think that counted. Especially since when he figured out I wasn't the highest girl he could get into the pants of he practically threw himself at Claire. The fact that she accepted his offer made me smile every time I thought about it and the grin slowly crept up my face.

Vic stopped in front of Owen and I, his eyes darker then before. He put his hands on his hips and stared at Owen for a few moments before sighing and looking at me.

"Don't you agree honey?" I raised my eyebrows at the term he used, condescendence dripping from him like sweat from the heat. I smiled wide, my white teeth showing before I responded to him.

"I would have to say I take Barry and Owen's side on this. Dinosaurs are anything but tame." Vic puffed and wiped a hand through his hair, aggravated. He was obviously losing the battle and since I was in a higher position than even him, I had more say in the matter. Barry's lip twitched, almost breaking into a smile but he didn't want to lose his obvious composure. Owen on the other hand didn't mind showing his complete pleasure at my response.

"They're animals, any animal can be tamed. Like dogs!" I laughed at that notion, and even though Owen's actions with the raptors had been breakthrough and extraordinary, their bond and respect unparalleled, I couldn't help but find the idea of dinosaurs being like dogs reasonable.

"I've never known a raptor to be put on a leash, walked, fed by hand, petted by their owner nor living past a minute doing any of those things. So that is like saying humans are the equivalent of ants." Vic's nose scrunched at me, obviously upset. Owen burst out laughing behind me, holding his stomach as if he couldn't hold it in any longer. His laughter was infectious and before Vic could even respond, the three of us were all laughing. Finally Vic stomped off, and Barry patted my shoulder.

"Welcome to the team, Caitlyn." I smiled at him before I heard a blood curdling scream, one that I was sure that I had never heard before in all of my life. It made the hairs on my neck stand on end and goosebumps rise over my skin.

One of the boys was  _hanging_  off the rail.


	5. Terror

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caitlyn experiences true terror when she meets the velociraptors from Paddock 9 in a very unceremonious way. The great thing is she is in great hands–Owen's hands.

Immediately I ran up the stairs, my heart pounding in my chest. I could hear Owen shouting behind me to lock the containment for the raptors and Barry calling for the EC team–the team that came in and exterminated the animals if there was to be a problem. Such as a young boy, just eighteen or nineteen, hanging from the rails. That's why the team was so aptly named the Extermination Containment team. I gasped as I watched the boys hands begin to slip on the rail, his fingers grasping heartily at the small metal gears off the side of the rail and sweat beading down his temple. I jumped forward, suddenly faster from the adrenaline and I grabbed the boy's free hand. He latched onto me, his eyes the painting of utter terror.

"Hang on!" I yelled, clutching him and trying to pull him towards me but instead of trying to climb the rail back up he was slipping helplessly beneath my fingers. I could hear Owen's boots tracking up the stairwell, the beep of the com system going off to allow him access. The boy screamed and as his hand glided off the metal railing he grabbed for me with both hands one final time, and the force of his hold was  _strong_. This was the sudden strength of a boy in complete fear. He began to fall and since I was holding onto him–and him holding on me, I followed. We were a whirlwind of sound and air. My body thrummed with life and blood, pumping harder and heavier in my chest and my lungs. We crashed with a hard thud, my body grasping the dirt in front of me as the air was suddenly sucked out of my heaving body. I looked up, terrified, and was met with the honey slanted eyes of Blue. Her head cocked to the side, analyzing me from just a few feet away, her mouth slightly open. Her teeth were like small pricked toothpicks, razor sharp with the base the only thick part.

I suppressed my need to run, my need to crawl back to safety as I stared down the majestic creature in front of me. She cawed, her voice sounding too real and deadly up close. She was like every movie and book I had ever laid my eyes on. I realized slowly that here I was, her easy prey. I thanked whatever god that lived that I still had my heels off, having left them by the rail, but I highly doubted that it would matter now. I heard the scuffling of boots and the beeping of an alarm, but I dared not turn my head. I knew that if I did, if I severed the connection that Blue and I was making right now, that she would surely shred me alive. I heard Barry shout something but I blocked it out, my head too focused on the intelligent creature creeping forwards with every blink of my own.

"Get behind me," I recognized the throaty voice to my left immediately, Owen's raspy murmur a blessed sound in my ears. I was suddenly keenly aware of him by my side, and the adrenaline in my body made everything that much more surreal. Slowly I slinked backwards, careful to not move too fast and raise the raptors predator sense. Not that that mattered much now, since we were both obvious raptor chow. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Owen, his palm outstretched towards the raptor, and as I moved backwards two more raptors appeared, Delta and Echo. I grasped Owen's elbow, gripping him with a white knuckled force, but he didn't seem to notice or mind whatsoever. I exhaled slowly, afraid that one wrong move on my part would have us both killed. I definitely had no dinosaur field training, and raptors were much more perceptive than the average herbivore that I had generally met, so I cautioned myself to breathing in and out slowly.

"No no no, hold your fire!" Owen yelled, glancing up at the positioned EC troops above us with stun and kill weapons. "Hold your fire, do not fire!" He stepped in front of me, his hand holding my other side and pushing me back slowly, ever so slowly. He gripped me hard, his hand warm and calloused but soft. I could practically feel the nerves running through him, his hand wavering slightly in front of him. "Put twelve amps in these animals and they're never gonna trust me again." I heard Barry drag the boy away from the raptors from behind me, but still I couldn't tear my eyes away from Owen and the girls.

"Blue," he spoke sharply and with a commanding tone. "Stand down.  _Stand down._ " The raptor chirped as if irritated that Owen was blocking her easy prey, her jaws snapping at him with a loud  _crack_. "Hey,  _he_ y! What'd I just say?" Blue inched forward, her steps light and confident, preparing to strike almost. Her eyes were on fire, the amber pits ready to go past his hand and come at me. I staggered, my fingers gripping his shoulder as if my life depending on him standing in front of me. I knew it did.

Owen's hand left my side and rose to meet the next raptor who dared to challenge him, her head up defiantly.

"Delta. I see you." His head switched from locking on Blue's eyes to Delta who began to encroach on our small territory, the territory which Owen was fighting for as the alpha. It was then I realized not only did Blue want me, but she wanted to test Owen's ability as the alpha. If he failed...Then wouldn't she become the alpha? The rise to power slowly crept into my mind as Delta neared, her eyes set on me. With Owen's hand departed from me, my left flank felt empty, as if if Owen didn't pay attention, Delta would snap forward and yank me with her. His head turned sharply to her again.

"Back up." She barked out her anger, her high pitched, shrill call echoing throughout the pit of the paddock. He was no longer just commanding, but he started to sound louder. The commanding tone in his voice had morphed to something bigger and badder. He was using the power of his sound over them, the voice they knew too well when he called their names during the exercises.

"Okay. Good, good." Blue ducked, her head and her body crouching insidiously until she looked like she was ready to pounce on him. He gave her a look and then turned his head to me, his eyes motioning to the metal trap door which had begun to close. I glanced over my shoulder and Barry looked terrified, his eyes black pits in his skull and his face a mixture of utter astonishment and fear. Vic held onto the bars outside of the second check gate, and the young boy who had pulled me over the side of the railing laid on the ground, his face scrunched up in relief and shock. I looked back at Owen and he slowly lowered his gaze, a small, imperceptible nod. I took a deep breath and when the loud alarm bell of the security sounded, Owen grasped my body with his arms and threw us under the closing bars. I shut my eyes, afraid to open them in fear that we didn't make it. I had heard that adrenaline sometimes made pain nonexistent, and I silently didn't want to figure it out.

We tumbled, our rolling bodies just slipping under the metal gate as it shut and beeped. The velociraptors hissed, their anger evident and their hands clawing underneath the ground, their nuzzles face to face with the bars. My eyes burst open and my breath expelled from my chest as if I had run a marathon, and I looked to my side, Blue eyeing me with such ferocity that I shivered. Warm hands kneaded my hips and I looked down, realizing I was straddling Owen, legs thrown over his as I hovered above his body. I gasped and threw myself off of him, my body landing in the dirt with another thud. I breathed deeply, so thankful that I could once against receive air into my deprived lungs. My fingers pushed into the dirt, relishing the feeling of safe ground underneath me. This day had surely turned out much more exciting than I had originally planned and I wasn't that sure it was a good thing.

Owen stood with ease and stretched. I looked up at him, watching him curiously as he opened his palm towards me–the same palm that had commanded the raptors–asking me to rise up. I grasped his hand and got up, staggering slightly as blood rushed to my head. For the first time since I had come to the paddock I stood frozen in place, my heart pounding in my ears. I was utterly stunned, blinking as if I didn't understand what was happening.

"Oh no," Owen murmured, holding my face in his hands and staring into my eyes. His deep forest green irises mesmerized me, but still my brain felt foggy and unfocused. "Are you going to faint? Or cry?" He asked worriedly, his eyebrows low on his forehead and his eyes deeply set. I sucked in a breath and let out a shaky laugh, trying to regain my brain which had almost successfully ran away. I shook my head and smiled at him, trying to relax him so he didn't seem so upset. He handled me like I was fragile when I truly wasn't.

"Why would you think I would start crying?" He pulled back and gave me a lopsided grin.

"The last girl to come to the raptor paddock fainted the first time she saw the girls. It was kind've funny. Don't want you doing that here though." Barry stomped over to Owen and thumped him on the back hard. Owen shot him a relieved look from the corner of his eyes and Barry spoke in a shaky voice.

"You stupid bastard." He turned his head to me and eyed my head. He leaned forward and pushed my hair out of the way.

"Oh, you're bleeding! Lemme take care of that." Barry began to go for a medkit in the panel towards the side of the rail room but Owen shook his head and walked closer to me, his hand coming to rest over my shoulders.

"I got her Barry, you lock down the raptors." Barry shot Owen an  _I-know-what-you're-doing_  look, but said nothing as Owen led me back to the bungalow. His bungalow. We climbed up the steps slowly and my vision became blurry for a second. Owen paused as if realizing I wasn't following anymore and turned back just in time to grab me before I stumbled and practically fell off the side of the porch.

"Hey– _hey_ , don't do that now. C'mon." He held me up, having me lean on him with most of my weight, my body unsteady. Owen opened the door and led me to his bedroom. I blushed against my will and wondered if maybe he couldn't have seated me in a random chair somewhere. Shirts were everywhere as was pants, but he sat me on the corner of the bed and walked around the room, pacing, before running his hands through his hair and eyeing me.

"Sorry for the mess–um...Medkit, right." He doubled back to his closet, grasping a small white box before coming to sit on the bed next to me. He unclipped the two safety snaps on the front of the box and opened it up, revealing oxygen peroxide, bandages, alcohol and cloth wraps. Hesitantly he pushed the brown hair on the side of my face away, my long strands of hair getting in the way of the cut. His fingers probed the small area on the side of my head and I breathed deeply, pain sparkling through the spot where he touched me like shooting fireworks. The silence of the room was palpable and I felt even more jittery around Owen than I really should have. He set me on a slow burn, a fire that hadn't stopped since I laid eyes on him.

"I apologize for all the trouble I put you through back there." He shook his head at me and patted a swab of peroxide on the cut.

"Apologize?" He huffed. "I should be thanking you. You probably saved that kids' life back there. If you hadn't had tried grabbing him first, or occupying Blue's curiousness second, that kid would've died for sure. He wouldn't have remained calm and probably would have triggered the raptors' predatory sense." I bit my lip at his praise, my eyes connecting with his for a moment before I tried to look at something else. I could practically _feel_  him still watching me, and when I looked back at him I found I was right.

"I must look like a real mess." He smirked at me, putting a bandage over the cut and sitting back, releasing the kept hair from its position behind my ear.

"A beautiful mess." I blushed a scarlet red and tipped my head down, suddenly extremely shy. I was beginning to realize my surroundings even more. I was alone with Owen, in his bedroom,  _on his bed_. Slowly he leaned forward, his fingers coming forward and grasping my chin, raising my face to his. We were so close to each other, our breath mixing. One closer move and he would be kissing me and I practically shuddered with hidden delight.  _Holy crap–I'm going insane_ , I thought miserably but I couldn't help but want the velociraptor trainer with a strange need.

A voice came from behind and both of us snapped off the bed like we had been held down before. Barry peeked his head through the doorway and quirked his head to the side in confusion, probably because we both looked like we had been caught doing something wrong. His eyes narrowed slightly and a look of realization passed over his face, and then he saw the horror that passed over mine. Quickly he knew to change the subject.

"Would you look at that! Seems you have a harder head than Owen's here, Caitlyn." Barry stepped forward and smiled at me warmly before switching his gaze to Owen who fiddled with the white box on the bed. The snaps closed loudly in the quiet room and Owen placed it back on the shelf where it had been before.

"Ah, well, I should probably tell you that you can't leave just yet, Caitlyn. The park has issued a lock down. Hurricane." Owen raised his eyebrow at Barry and then cast a strange glance at me.

"A hurricane?" I queried and Barry nodded.

Owen and I looked at each other. It was going to be a  _long_  day.


	6. Hurricanes and Poker Nights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> |»| Hey guys! I hope that you all have been enjoying the series so far! Right now the story is set about two months before the storyline of Jurassic World, but it will catch up fast after this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter a lot and please, please, pleaseeeeee favorite, follow and review on this story! I will try to answer your comments every time I update a chapter! Ask anything! Enjoy!

Chapter 5-Hurricanes and Poker Nights

"I see you a hundred and I'll raise you two hundred." I spoke confidently, the Heineken settling in my stomach a welcome feeling. I couldn't quite remember who shouted that we should play poker, but we all agreed. A lot of the guys were in Owen's bungalow, most of them close friends to the raptor trainer. It was just him and me playing in this round, all the other opponents bluffed or straight out defeated by Owen and I. His eyebrow lifted up, green eyes sparkling mischievously. We had our own teams, each team rooting for who they thought would win. Ultimately Owen had won the last round against me, but this round I was seeking my redemption.

The wind outside howled and the rain beat against the doors, the warning about the hurricane very true. The trees knocked around outside and we could hear the raptors screeching. Before the sky had gotten insidiously dark we had enclosed the raptors in the weather safety settlement, but they didn't seem to like it all that much. I bit my lip, suddenly nervous with Owen's dark eyes on me. He watched me like he was a predator and I was the willing prey. I breathed in, showed my cards and waited. Owen's eyes flashed a brilliant green with the lightning outside before he set his hand down, a straight flush. Barry barked out a riotous laugh and my team burst into whoops and hollers behind me. I had a _royal_ flush.

Owen raised his fingers to his chin, scratching the short scruff there from a few days gone without shaving. His eyes flickered to me again, as if he was assessing me in a new–very different way. My body flushed in heat at his attention, but he broke the almost physical contact his eyes had made and clapped. I smiled winningly and rounded the money to my side of the table.

"What's the next thing this girl beats you at, Owen?" One of the younger guys on his side piped up. He couldn't have been older than twenty five, and I was surprised at how many of the men here were young recruits of the Victor Hoskins. Owen simply rolled his eyes and held out his hand in the middle of the small makeshift desk we had made with opened beer box containers and small pieces of wood. I smiled at his hand and grasped it in my own, shaking confidently.

"See, she can beat him at everything she'd like," Barry said in his signature deep voice and heavy accent, arm slinking its way around my shoulders. He addressed no one in particular, but both the young boy and Owen listened intently. In no time–along with a few beers–it was like we were all best buddies, talking about the compounds, the way things were in the mainland. The only one who'd failed to talk about their life was Owen, who seemed to purposefully stay silent. Drastically silent.

"He's waiting until we play strip poker to win." Owen's teeth flashed, his hands coming up in front of him defensively.

"I can't deny it. It's my trump card." I stuck my tongue out at him and he just laughed, leaning back and slinking his hands behind his head in a very relaxed and nonchalant pose. I kicked him from under the table and he jolted up, but that wasn't the only thing that we jolted at. The door to the bungalow was thrown open, the rain and wind whirling through the small space. I grabbed my shoulders and looked at Vic standing very, very pissed off in the doorway. _Uh oh_ , I thought with a small inward groan. The guys had told me how Vic treated everyone here, included the animals, and the thought of it completely sickened me.

"Who the hell was responsible for that major fuck up in the paddock today?" I winced at his tone, and Barry tightened his grip on my shoulders. He straightened, almost ready to get defensive before Owen shot him a look and Barry tried to relax. I could still feel the anger and hatred boiling from him since he was so near, but I waited silently to see what would happen. Owen stood up, wiping his hands on his pants. He gave Vic a disinterested look and leaned against the wooden post next to the kitchen countertop.

"It was me. I was supposed to round the pig up but I slacked off and let the kid do it." I was touched by the way Owen gave himself up for the punishment, but no matter how stupid Vic was, he was smart.

"That kids new. Don't try and protect no one here, Grady. I told you that when you first arrived." The boy who had fallen with me earlier sat by the edge of the couch, his knee shaking up and down nervously. I tried to smile kindly at him, but he was too stuck in his own world of fear to pay any attention to me. Vic pointed to the kid and he practically shook like a baby rattle.

"You. You're fired for that little stunt today. You get out as soon as this storm is over." My chest surged with indignant anger. This guy had _some_ nerve to come in here and do this. He may be the boss of his own world, but the world was a lot bigger than him. I stood up as Vic went to turn back into the storm.

"Mr. Hoskins, you can't fire him. As a technicality the young man can sue you and Jurassic World for your slip up. The capture of the animal should be more secure and if he were to be injured there would be a huge lawsuit. It would be on you, since you _are_ the boss. And the park would most likely fire you before they ever fired the young man. A superiors slip up is much worse than that of a _kid_." I annunciated each word as if it would help him understand any better. I tilted my head, smiling at him. His eyes fired up and he was obviously ready to snap by the way he walked towards me. His stride was long and he pointed his finger in my face.

"You don't get a say in this, understand _honey_? You can't just walk up in here and act like you own the place." I exhaled deeply, my eyes narrowing. Owen stood off to the side, his arms crossed over his chest as if he was enjoying the little scene. I took a step forward and stared at Hoskins straight in his face, the beer and the encouragement riling me up.

"You're right, despite the fact that I am higher up than you. I could always call upon a conference between Ms. Dearing, you and I after the storm. Since I _am_ a witness. Would you enjoy that?" Hoskins was ready to respond, his lip curled back in the most agitated way, but a large siren began to blare through the walls and I almost had to hold my ears to keep it from piercing my hearing.

"What the hell?" I yelled over the noise. Owen and Barry shared a look before they both began ordering people in specific groups. I stared dumbfounded as everyone moved as if there was fire under their butts, but I stood there in the middle, in a crowded small bungalow, ready to scream. I had had a long day of near death experiences, heel moments, cursing with the stupid boss and drinking with the guys. The last thing I needed was some stupid hurricane and a safety drill. I practically slapped myself as I realized I sounded like a complete wreck, complaining over everything. I sucked in a deep breath and tugged at Owen's sleeve.

"What's going on?" Owen pulled me to the side and held me steady against the turbulent flow of people moving throughout the small living quarters of Owen's bungalow. His fingers did that little thing, kneading my skin slowly and I couldn't help but relax in his hold.

"Something technical is going on with the Paddock. It's probably because of the storm, but since the raptors are still in there we have to do a security check. You have to stay here okay?" He murmured silently. He probably didn't want to raise the fear level of any of the workers, but this was a serious issue. At my look he chuckled.

"Don't worry, this stuff doesn't usually happen. It's your lucky day." I rolled my eyes at what he said–like I didn't already know it was my lucky day by all the bad things that could possibly ever happen in one day happening to me.

"I want to go. I can help." One of his hands released me and rubbed the back of his neck, fingers methodically rubbing as if he was sore there. It was probably a nervous tic, something to help him relax just the same way that rubbing small patterns on my skin did to me. I silently wondered if I made him as nervous as he made me, the thought bring a small smile to my lips. He shook his head and reaffirmed his stance in front of me.

"It's not a good idea. I don't want–"

"I can help!"

"I don't want you getting hurt again, Caitlyn." His fingers came up and brushed the small bandaid that hid behind my hair, the back of his knuckles grazed the still sore cut. I lowered my gaze and looked around the room again, at everyone scrambling to get supplies and positioned in order to get Owen's final commands. "You could've gotten killed. I can't handle that happening again." I leaned forward and my dark brown eyes met his green ones. Suddenly it was like a fire sparking through my body, starting at my toes and spreading quickly only to simmer in my stomach. I sucked in a breath and tried to convince him again that I could be of use.

"I can do this, Owen, please. Let me help." He sighed, hand falling back to his side in defeat. He waved over a few of his men, since there only had to be about ten guys in here.

"Caitlyn, you stay with me, understand? Jack, Terrance; you guys follow me too. You stay back and make sure nothing tails us." I was excited–no, I was beyond that. I would be able to work with Owen again, see him in action. He quickly walked out the front door, his boots heavy against the wood of the porch. The wind howled around us violently and my hair whipped around, the locks freeing themselves and roaming my face unexpectedly. I spit out a loose strand and tried to follow Owen, the flashlight in his hands helping me find him semi-easily through the darkness. The storm had built up, the rain drenching me and the men behind me in mere seconds. I was soaking and I thanked the gods that my tank top was black otherwise I could've won the wet tank top contest. I noticed as Owen's eyes checked behind him, making sure I was keeping pace.

Within a few minutes I was able to match Owen's stride, which was practically running for me but I tried as best as I could. Suddenly he stopped short and looked at the front panel of the raptor paddock. His eyes scanned the small device that seemed to be malfunctioning, the small pad flashing between black, a hazy red and a screen that showed a small design of the paddock. He squinted from the rain and stared at the device but he couldn't seem to figure out what it said.

"Section C of the paddock, the screen is down." I spoke in a hushed tone, so only Owen would be able to hear my soft voice. His eyes flashed to mine, a sudden panic washing over his face like the rain before it disappeared and was hidden behind his beautiful dark green eyes.

"Terrance, Jack, you split up with Barry's team. Meet us at the back when I signal the radio, got me?" They nodded and sprinted off, the muddy slope of the floor kicking up sloshy water and grass behind them. I gave Owen a look that told him I didn't buy the tough guy persona.

"What's wrong with section C?" He took the gun I hadn't noticed over his shoulder and angled it in his hands so that if he needed to, he could quickly shoot.

"That's Blue's den." I felt my lips open and a gasp erupt from me. My eyes widened and I shoved his shoulder.

"Why did you send the other guys off?!" He shook his head and walked forward slowly, his eyes set in front of him.

"They would have made the situation worse. They don't know how to contain the raptors without making a big deal out of it." I made a condescending noise and followed him, albeit with a little less enthusiasm than before.

"Oh and you know how?" He turned around sharply and eyed me, his hand reaching out to grab my shoulder and pull me closer to him. He gave me a stern look and his eyes scanned over me, doing a once over. I pursed my lips at him.

"Yes. Otherwise you wouldn't have survived earlier, obviously." I rolled my eyes at him, although he had already turned around and we were on our way. We cautiously walked towards section C of the paddock, Owen's gun pointed in front of him–ready to fire if anything popped out of the dark and the rain. The sloshing of our feet made it harder for us to walk, but since he was finally slowed down, I could stay behind him easily enough. The large grunt and shrill call of one of the raptors made Owen freeze, and of course making me stop short behind him. He scanned the area a few times before taking a few tentative steps forward. Another call–closer–came from behind us and I held back a gasp. Owen quickly shuffled me behind him from the other side, his hand grazing my hip and holding onto me. Another call this time from Owen's back, and that's when a dawning look came over his features.

"There's more than Blue." He practically ran to the raptor weather settlement, locking the door and turning around. He reaffirmed his gun-ready stance and walked forward inch by inch. I tried to regulate my breathing, the sudden burst of running making me not only more nervous but more _loud_. As we made our way further into the compound, we came across Blue's den, the small iron door seemingly kicked out with ease. I held onto Owen's shoulder and turned around, my eyes set on the locked door behind us.

"We have to lure her back in." My eyes widened.

"We have to what?" I questioned, eyebrows shooting upwards in disbelief. Owen had the nerve to smirk, his lips pulling up. If I wasn't so scared straight I probably would've killed him for taking such a comical stance on this.

"Alright. And how do you propose we do that, Mr. Raptor Whisperer?" My sarcasm made him chuckle and he looked around, his gaze stopping on a bunch of flares above us for safety purposes.

"She's already watching us. Don't freak out or look back, okay? Blue is circling the door." I nearly looked back just on instinct, but instead I bit my lip and stared into Owen's green eyes.

"Focus on _me_. I'm going to throw the flare into Blue's den and wait for her to come in. She'll follow me, trust me. What I need you to do when I throw the flare is slowly walk to Section B of the enclosure."

I shook my head, "What about you?" He shot me a mischievous smile.

"I'm going to catch myself a raptor."

With a few minutes of preparation, Owen signaled me and threw the flare into the cage for Blue. I turned my head around as I began to back up, watching Blue slowly walk forward, her eyes not on the flare or even Owen, but on _me_. Blue ran forward in a burst of speed, knocking the broken iron door against the bars, successfully locking Owen in her den before the raptor turned her eyes on me.

"Caitlyn! Run!" Owen yelled, but I knew that running would be my death wish. Slowly now, Blue walked forward, stalking me. Her head cocked to the side, her bright honey eyes lighting up the darkness in the compound. I figured, possibly in a very stupid way, that raptors were like bears and if I _ran_ it would give her only more incentive to _chase_. She made a series of noises, each call louder than the last. I looked above me and saw a row of bars, and as I looked Blue also followed my line of sight. _I guess this is my chance_ , I thought rapidly. In a fast burst of speed I jumped from the counter onto the metal bars and managed to yank myself up before Blue jumped up, her teeth snapping below my feet. She cawed in a very birdlike manner before circling beneath me and digging her long claws into the metal underneath her. With a loud screech she jumped again, her jaw making it to where my fingers had been just seconds before, her teeth letting her have a good grip on the metal rod between her needle-like molars. With a small noise I noticed Owen slowly slinking out of the cage, but before he could fully make it out, Blue let go of her _super-ninja-teeth-death-grip_ on the bars and dropped with a loud thud, her eyes instantly snapping to Owen.

His eyes met mine, a look of utter terror there before he took off in my direction, Blue running forwards preparing to meet him head on. "Argh!" He bellowed and dropped low, the raptor having no choice but to jump before she tripped over him and fell like he had. Quickly he grabbed one of the broken metal doors from the other den, one that wasn't occupied, and thrusted it to the side–successfully blocking Blue.

"C'mon!" He shouted, his hand reaching up to the bars. Blue threw herself against the door, metal screeching against metal as she tried to push her way through the blockade. I shuddered and grasped his hand, allowing myself to fall through the bars with ease. His hand roamed up my side before I was steadily on the ground in front of him. My fingers held onto his while my other hand kept its grip on his shoulder, our embrace short-lived as Blue practically broke the door with an ear piercing cry. Owen seemed to snap out of a haze as he squeezed my hand.

"We have to go, she's gonna break it–" and with those words the door ripped across the hallway and Blue came striding forward. I ran like I couldn't run any faster, my feet taking me as far as I could. I heard Owen's boots behind me as we neared the first door to Section B. I threw the door open with a sudden viciousness and Owen slammed it behind us, stopping at a small panel on the side.

"Owen! We have to leave right now, that door isn't going to hold her in." He raised his hand as if telling me to be quiet as he punched in numbers and codes, the different lights and section plans flashing before everything shut to red and he smiled at me.

"She won't be able to get out of the enclosure, but we have to leave. _Now_." I shook my head back and forth as if that was a new concept, and began running. Behind us Blue broke through the second door just as we made our way to the last enclosure gate, one that we had to punch in order to open and close. I was faster than Owen, stopping and jabbing the small red button so that the gate would lift up. I rolled underneath the gate and hit the button on the other side, the gate beginning to close. I turned around and saw that Blue was not too far behind Owen now, her steps making up for Owen's pace doubly.

"Owen!" I screamed, my hands closing over my mouth harshly. He didn't bother to look behind him, instead somehow running with a new burst of speed towards the closing gate. He slid, as if he was a baseball player, his hand outstretched. If I didn't grab his hand, the gate practically closed now, he wouldn't make it to the other side. I clutched his hand with both of my own, yanking backwards with all of my strength. Owen made it under just in time, Blue's muzzle crashing against the gate with a loud _smack_ as she was too late. Both of us fell into the mud, tangled in limbs–hands and legs. He pushed himself off of me, laying next to me in the mud and dirt with rain still pouring on us from above. He had the _nerve_ to _laugh_. The sound was thick and throaty, obviously coming from his chest and somehow, despite the horrific feeling of imminent death and the awful day that I had to account for every other awful day I thought was bad, I laughed alongside him. The buzz of his radio along with the static tore through our laughter and Owen sat up, the small walkie-talkie in hand.

_"We're in your bungalow, mate,"_ Barry's voice came through the small slitted lines on the device. _"Where are you?_ " Neither of us bothered to answer as we hiked back to Owen's bungalow, both of us trenched in sweat, mud, rain and whatever else I didn't want to know was on me. I was in tatters of clothes and caked dirt. My skirt looked like it had been clawed out with T-Rex teeth and I was in a pair of old, worn black boots that one of the more mysterious crew members had offered me before our departure. The only decent thing I felt like I still wore was my tank top, and even that was way too revealing now with the cuts in the fabric from sticks and things I had been rolling around in. I sucked in a breath and we both walked through the door to Owen's bungalow.

_Everyone was immaculate._ Other than the occasional wet top or muddy boot stain, no one looked worse for wear. I looked over at Owen who was already eyeing me, and we began laughing. Barry stood up from his seat on the couch, the dark brown orbs of his eyes wide as if he was looking at the biggest dinosaur he'd ever seen. Which wasn't true. Yet.

"Mate," his palm clapped the shoulder of his friend, but he removed it cautiously, eyeing the mud that was now on his fingers. "I would ask what happened, but I already know that I don't _want_ to know." Owen sighed, relieved, and looked at Barry.

"Everyone out. It's enough for one night. Go to your own bungalows." I stepped out of my boots and tip-toed to the side of the closet where we first walked in as everyone began to shuffle out of his small home. I watched as each one of them left, and slowly I began to wonder where I would go. I couldn't leave because of the storm, and I was drenched in God knows what. Owen tipped his head to the side and smiled at me.

"Look, you can stay here until the storm ends. Take a shower, do what you need to do. Do you um..." He motioned towards the couch. "Once your settled, want to take the couch?" I bit my lip but managed to smile kindly at him.

"That would be amazing, actually. Thank you. For everything." He shook his hand at me in a _don't-worry-about-it_ manner and walked into the small bedroom I had seen before. There was a small bed that centered in the room along with a small shower and a opaque glass door. I found Owen deep in the small closet, flinging through t-shirts and cargo shorts.

"We have clean shirts, clean shorts or one pair of clean pants. Take your pick." I fiddled with my fingers nervously behind my back, my gaze concentrating on the muscles of his shoulders flexing as he moved, the way his neck strained as he peered at top after top.

"Surprise me," I whispered and he chuckled, throwing a blue and grey plaid shirt on the bed along with a pair of light grey board shorts. "Don't use all the hot water, we don't get much of it here." I nodded, silent as he peeled the shirt he was wearing off his back in that way guys do, from behind him. He turned around and I studied him, my eyes trailing all over his body. He was well built, not to mention his skin seemed glazed due to the rain that still coated him. He had that V-cut of muscle that led to below his jeans, the small line of hair that trickled and disappeared behind the denim. I sucked in a deep breath and tried to look away, but I couldn't. The corner of his lip pulled up and my cheeks flushed a deep shade of red, I was sure.

"You should get in the shower before you get hypothermia. Or before I do at least." He paused, and then realized that I didn't want to get out of my clothes in front of him because that would surely be the day I died. "Oh," he spoke in a hushed tone before exiting the room and closing the door to the bedroom. I walked around, looking at the little desk he had next to the bed. Papers were strewn everywhere, but there was a single picture frame that stood with him and a younger woman. She seemed happy and next to her was a little boy, of maybe eight or nine years only. I wondered if perhaps that was his wife or girlfriend from the mainland, and that was why he rarely talked about his past. I looked to the wall where a small medal hung, and found a Military Decoration from the United States Navy. _Rewarded for incredible heroism and bravery in the face of sudden demise,_ a small plaque on the bottom read. I shook my head, realizing snooping on his life was wrong, but finding that the idea he was a soldier suddenly changed my idea of him. It explained why he was commanding, but it didn't explain why he was incredibly sweet.

I walked into the bathroom and took my top off, my skirt and the rest of my underclothes. I sat them on top of the toilet in the corner and stepped into the shower. As soon as I turned on the water, the hot steam cascading against the wall and the glass, I sighed. It was a utopia, an entirely different feeling from the entire day. The warm water flowed over my skin, making it flush with sweet, welcome warmth. I breathed in and out, the glass fogging up. When I got out I put on my bra and panties, both not completely soaked or covered in dirt–thank the lord. I peeked outside of the doorway before I walked out, grasping the towel to my body. I knew I was wearing at least some semblance of clothes, but I still didn't want Owen to find me in my underwear and bra. I put on his shirt, the material big and puffy on my body. I rolled up the sleeves and put on the shorts, which for some reason only came up to the middle of my thigh. I opened the door and found him standing outside, his head cocked to the side.

"Your turn," I murmured silently, stepping across the threshold of the doorframe as Owen walked past me. Our bodies momentarily touched, and as our skin connected sparks flew across me, livening me up. He paused and turned around, his forearm raised against the doorframe to the living room area, his body hovering above mine.

"Goodnight, if you don't stay awake." I smiled.

"Goodnight." Before I turned around he took a hold of my arm and pulled me towards him, my chest flush against his.

"I like you in my clothes." Those possessive words made my body tremble and I blushed as he let go of me, a heated look in his eyes. The look practically burned my body with its intensity, so before anything else happened I moved away from him and stood outside as he closed the door to his bedroom. I laid down on the couch, my ankles crossing over the side since my legs were too long. I pursed my lips to keep from smiling. It may have sounded stupid since I had only known him for the day, but from everything we had been through, I couldn't keep my thoughts from racing to how much I was attracted to the raptor trainer, Owen Grady.

With that thought I fell into a blissful and restful sleep.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> |»| Hey guys! I hope all you guys are enjoying your summer! The next chapter should be coming soon since I have a little bit more free time nowadays, but who knows? I hate writers block :( — I wanted to ask you guys if perhaps any of you had ideas for what you wanted me to write about in the story, like a prompt. I write stories continuously and usually back to back, so I don't even have the next chapter yet, which makes it easier to write ideas on the fly! If you have ideas PM me or write them in the reviews and I will start working on them ASAP! Please favorite, follow and review! Review a plenty! Review like your life counts on it! Ask me questions or just say sup lol! Please please pleaseee enjoy chapter 6 of Fight or Flight!

Chapter 6–Work

 

I opened my eyes and picked up my head to the sound of hard rock music playing in the background. I looked around and found myself on a bed. In _Owen's_ bed. I scrambled off the plush blue comforter and mattress, kicking my legs over the side and shuffling quickly to the door. I rubbed my eyes and looked around, finding Owen flipping a pancake in the small excuse for a kitchen at the back of the bungalow. He had his back turned to me, a tight fitted white shirt that allowed me to see practically all his muscles in action. The pancake fell unceremoniously into the pan and Owen turned to the small kitchen counter, head bouncing to the beat of the music.

He put the pancake in one of the two dishes on the counter, a waffle in the other. His eyes raised to mine and he smiled, seemingly happy to see me.

"Good morning. Sleep well?" He took one of the waffles that was in his plate and took a bite of it, walking around the small island to sit on the stool. I pushed my fingers through my hair, no doubt looking like I mess. Suddenly, I felt very self conscious and I blushed. I took a few small steps to the stool opposite to Owen, eyeing the pancake in the dish.

"Good morning. Yes, I slept very well, thank you. Can I ask you a question?" A smirk crossed his features as he chewed on another bite of his waffle.

"I put you in my bed because you were practically on the floor this morning. Don't worry, I didn't try anything." I ducked my head, avoiding his gaze because I was pretty sure if he didn't laugh at me I would. I couldn't imagine how crazy I looked. I knew I slept awkwardly, always moving, switching positions. For some reason though, I just couldn't handle the thought that he had caught me in such a vulnerable position. I took a sip of the orange juice on the counter, the small glass cup feeling cool in my hand. I practically jolted out of the chair as I realized that it was morning and that it was still a weekday.

"Oh my god! What time is it?" Owen shot me a strange look but took a look at the clock hanging across the room that I hadn't noticed.

"It's around nine forty-five." I stood up and looked down at myself.

"Oh no, where are my clothes?"

"In the bathroom, where you left them." I paled, the idea of walking into work late with a torn skirt and a tank top scaring me straight down to my toes. I quickly shuffled to the bathroom where I changed out of Owen's clothes and folded them neatly on the bed. I sucked in a deep breath and stared at my reflection in the mirror, my eyes dark with rings from poor sleep and smeared with left over mascara from the shower last night. My once straightened hair, now fuzzy, was sticking in all different directions and I practically shouted in frustration. I took my hairband and tried in vain to tame the mane that I called my hair, the dark strands ignoring my strenuous attempts at subjugation. I bit my lip in pure anger, holding back the need to yell my aggravation.

When I walked out of the bathroom I was semi-presentable with a muddy skirt and wildly bright eyes, I was pretty sure. Owen stood across from me, a smirk on his face.

"Oh what?" I asked, exasperated.

"Nothing, nothing." He shook his head but his smirk widened to a smile that showed his white teeth.

"Ugh," I groaned in protest as I walked to the door and stopped short as I remembered I was barefoot.

"Wouldn't want to leave these behind, I gather." Slowly I turned around only to find Owen standing in front of the couch, both of my heels dangling by one of his fingers. I cocked my head to the side and held my hand to my hip. He snorted and walked towards me, his green eyes connecting with mine before I took the shoes from his hands.

"No need to get sassy, see?" I made a face at him as I bent down and tied one heel around my foot before securing the other heel. I shot up quickly and my stance wavered as I gained my footing in my stupid heels once again. He grasped my elbow and took a step forward, pulling me a little closer towards him.

"I have the right to be sassy, I'm going to be late." He scoffed.

"Let me guess, you have a spotless record of never being late?" I pursed my lips and inhaled, trying to restrain my sudden temper at his playfulness.

"Actually, yes, and I would like to try and keep it."

"Take a sick day." I rolled my eyes at him and turned around, ready to open the door before he put his hand on it, effectively blocking my only exit. I counted to ten silently in my head, waiting for him to relent, but he didn't. I spun to face him, his body now very close to my own.

"Ms. Dearing would inevitably figure out where I am no matter what excuse I have, plus I have to get back to her on your stance with the new dinosaur," I paused, remembering he never gave me a full answer. "Will you assess the paddock or not?" His eyes narrowed and it reminded me a bit of Blue when she was figuring out her next move, silently contemplating everything that she could do to get the most effective, most thought out kill. He was the predator and I his prey.

"Only if you agree to come back later today." I tried to tear my gaze away from his but his glimmering green eyes riveted me and I couldn't help but get lost in them. I silently prayed that he couldn't hear my heartbeat because it was racing quickly in my chest and my body thrummed to life. Blood rushed through my ear drums in a thick, heavy beat.

"Why would I do that?"

"You mean other than the fact I would get Ms. Stick-Up-Her-Butt off your back? I just thought you enjoyed my company." I sighed and leaned against the door. I could practically feel the summer heat through the door, the fan in the room only keeping it slightly cooler than outside. Despite the storm, the heat hadn't ceased.

"Fine. I'll come back later, but if I almost get killed again," I wagged my finger in his face. "I am on my next ride to the park and away from this god forsaken paddock." Owen grinned lopsidedly and I couldn't help but feel I made the right decision to come back here in my chest. I scrunched my nose at him and he reluctantly moved his hand away from the door and allowed me to escape the very tempting space of his body. I opened the door and took very hesitant strides towards my car, miraculously damage free amongst all the fallen trees and muddy earth. My heels sunk into the soft soil and I decided that before I came back I would put on a good pair of boots.

I hopped into the car and Owen leaned on the roof above the window, both hands pushing himself away from my side of the door. He made the motion that I should roll down my window, and the small glass rolled away as I held the small button on my dashboard.

"I'll assess the new paddock, okay? Meet me in my bungalow at six." I shot him an exasperated look, quietly pissed off that we all had the same work day schedule despite the completely different jobs all staff had at the park. The only ones who didn't have the regular schedule was the security and the park guides, otherwise I was left to the hand of regular days and times. I backed off of the dirt pathway and made a U-turn back onto the path, pulling onto the road as quickly as possibly. In my rearview I saw Owen standing there, his hands in his pockets, eyes following my car. I reaffirmed my position in my seat and looked forward once again. No matter how much I enjoyed Owen's company, that paddock seemed to be bad luck for me and I wasn't exactly eager to return.

––––––––––––––––––––—————————————————————————————

I sucked in a harsh breath as I stumbled into the lab, my eyes scanning around me as I found doctor Hayashi examining a newly hatched triceratops egg. Doctor Wu was standing behind him, eyes carefully watching the other doctor's actions. His head slowly turned to the side as he saw me approaching and he smiled, a fake smile that I didn't like whatsoever. Dr. Wu made me feel uncomfortable, the way he acted very cordial and uptight. I respected his work in the previous park, but I was cautious of his actions and his predictions. Especially from what happened with the female dinosaurs of last park adapting to procreate naturally.

"Ah, Caitlyn. Glad to have you in the lab this morning." I restrained myself from rolling my eyes, coming in twenty minutes late wasn't a criminal offense, but I tried to act normal. I had had a rough day and night yesterday and I wasn't in the mood to deal with Wu this morning.

"Yes, thank you. Sorry for the delay in my arrival but I was faced with a couple of road blocks." He turned fully towards me.

"Of course. I hope you faired the hurricane well?" I blinked once, realizing that he had probably been in the park during the storm and I had never come back to the lab after Claire had spoken to me. And I especially looked like I had been sucked up in a hurricane vortex and spat out sometime during the waking hours.

"Oh yes. And you?"

"Very well. Have you seen the baby yet?" I peeked around Hayashi's shoulders at the small triceratops baby, my eyes darting around it's body.

"No, but it looks very healthy." Both doctors nodded and Hayashi picked up the hatchling, putting it in a new enclosure to be transported to its pen, most likely in one of the grazing sections of the park.

"Caitlyn!" A sharp voice brought me alert again after staring at the baby for so long, and I turned to find Claire looking me up and down, a disdainful look crossing her features. I inhaled sharply and put a thin smile on my face, shaking her hand.

"Hello, Ms. Dearing."

"Hello as well, Ms. Clark. So I expect you have good news from Paddock 9?"

"Yes, Ow–Mr. Grady is willing to inspect the new paddock for the Indominus." She clapped her hands together in front of her face, a wide smile spreading across her face until something passed over her eyes and the brightness of her joy dimmed.

"That's great news, Ms. Clark. Unfortunately it seems that during the storm while preparations were made to ensure the safety and security of the Indominus, there was an accident in which an assistant paddock director lost his...hand. So more must be done for the enclosure. The infrastructure personnel said it would most likely take two months at the most, so Mr. Grady will have to wait." There was a glint to her eyes and the venom behind Owen's name made me wonder if something had happened between the two of them. It seemed that Claire had some unresolved feelings with that, and I was more than happy to stay out of it. I sighed and looked ahead, grabbing my clipboard and walking to my station with Claire in tow.

"That's a shame. I hope this won't set back the marketing for the Indominus." She shook her head confidently.

"Not one bit. All companies and products are going to want a piece of the asset. As long as they're assured a big enough percentage and a fat paycheck it should all be smoothed over." I wet my lips and held myself from shaking my head in anger. Everything always came back to money. Always.

"Of course Claire. Now I'll get to work." She smiled and walked out, and for the first time since I stepped into the room I felt relieved. Now to look forward to later on tonight.

 


	8. The Alpha's Beta

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I was on vacation and it took me so long to post! Here's the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy! Please comment, give kudos and bookmark! It means a lot! If you have any questions please feel free to ask! Enjoy Chapter Seven!

_** Chapter 7 – The Alpha's Beta ** _

 

_2 Weeks Earlier..._

“ _Oh my gosh, Cat I can’t wait to come to the park!_ ” My younger sister shouted across the phone, no doubt jumping up and down on something in my mothers house. Juliette was only ten, and I myself was a ripe twenty eight. My mother always criticized me for not already having a man in my life and a grandchild on the way. She had had me when she was only twenty two and now she was fifty years old and raising another child. A wave of anger passed through me. Gillian Clark was a woman of opportunity, always seeking money, power, glory and men. After my father died she went right back into the dating ring and she had just been divorced with her fourth husband not even a year yet. I hated that Juliette had to experience that so early in her life, and as a result my mother and I agreed that Juliette would stay with me during the summer at Jurassic World. That in itself had been an iffy proposition and a fight that lasted on the phone for three hours straight. 

I tapped my finger on the back of my phone, my eyes scanning my room in the park. I had one of the best living accommodations in all of Jurassic World, with a luxurious bath that was three times the size of my own body and a queen size bed. The red cotton sheets had been done perfectly, no creases visible and the sides tucked evenly on the side. I had a maid that came in every morning to clean around the room but I always shooed them away, feeling bad that they had to clean up my own mess. I bit my lip as I remember when I had to clean up after my mom’s house, her late nights and disastrous mornings still crystal clear in my memory. After my dad’s death in the army, nothing had ever been the same. 

“ _Hello?_ ” My sister’s chipper voice awoke me from my memories as I sipped some of the coffee I had been holding in my hand. 

“Yeah, I’m here. I’m excited for you to be here too, Jules. There’s so much for us to do over the summer. It’s been a few months since I’ve last seen you. I bet you’ve grown so much,” I smiled and bowed my head. “School going well, I hope?” I heard a noise across the line. 

“ _I hate doing projects with the other kids. They never do their work._ ” I chuckled. 

“Sounds a lot like life. It’ll be okay, you only have a few more weeks until it’s over and then you’ll be here with me.” I could practically feel her beaming across the phone and it brightened my less than sunny mood. I heard my mom in the background shouting at Juliette to give the phone to her. 

“I’ll talk to you soon, Jules. Keep safe and work hard.” 

“ _Promise. Bye Cat_.” I heard my mother clear her throat and Juliette was obviously no longer on the line. I breathed in and prepared to hear her voice. It had been a while since I spoke to my mother and most of the time it wasn’t so enjoyable. We had stayed away from each other most of my teenage years and I had to take care of myself most of the time, and on weekends, I had to take care of her. I guess a part of me resented her for that. Resented her because I had to grow up way before I should have. 

“ _How’s work?_ ” Her cracked voice came on the line and an entire string of emotions jolted through my body. I straightened in the chair I was sitting in, staring at the Mosasaurus paddock, the teal colored water bright from my window. 

“It’s going great. Revenue is up, people are happy. It’s a great job.” There was a long pause. 

“ _That’s good. I’m glad to hear that._ ” I placed my cup down on the window sill, the sound of the ceramic muted by the slowness of the action. 

“I’m going to pay for Juliette to come to Jurassic World, the air fare and everything.” My mom lived in San Diego California so Costa Rica was quite away from her and the air fare would not exactly be cheap. I made a decent enough paycheck that I could do it, and I especially didn’t want to rely on my mother for anything, and I didn’t want Jules to rely on her either. My mother let out a sigh of exasperation. 

“ _You don’t have to do that, my boyfriend Nick is planni–_ ” I cut her off rudely, but I didn’t care. 

“Your new boyfriend? Gillian you just got divorced–”

“ _Oh and what, you’re an expert in love?_ ” I sobered and reminded myself that I would rather be alone and happy than what my mother was; truly alone and searching for any guy. “ _Come back to me when you know a little something about being in a relationship._ ” I waved my hand around as if she could actually see it, my annoyance dripping from my words. 

“I don’t have a problem with you having relationships, Gillian. I have a problem with men just walking into you and Jules’ house and lives and leaving like it’s a bed and breakfast.” She scoffed. 

“ _You have some nerve to call me by my first name. I’m your_ mother _, whether you like it or not._ ” I sucked up my anger and let out a large breath that I had been holding in for the duration of our short conversation. 

“I’ll talk to you with the arrangements for Juliette. Goodbye Gillian.” I hung up before I could hear her response, deflating into the chair behind me. 

* * *

 

_Present Day..._

* * *

 

I checked my watch and saw that it was five twenty-seven, only three minutes and I would be out and able to get ready for my meeting with Owen. I chewed the piece of gum in my mouth nervously, eyes scanning the room as if everyone was watching me. My fingers tapped on my desk and my heels thudded with a sharp clack against the floor, my anxiety coursing through me like a live wire. I didn’t know what to expect with Owen. He seemed so...Unpredictable. But it made me want to know more about him, want to learn. The small hand on my clock reached the half an hour mark and I shot up out of my chair, pushing it forward and leaving my clipboard in the selected slot for my workspace, my reports on the different genetic outcomes of mating dinosaurs of different breeds laying there. It wasn’t the most fun of jobs, but it kept me interested and helped me pass time easier. Especially today. 

My apartment wasn’t far from the lab, most of the large populace and buildings being comprised mostly close together. I entered the lobby of my apartment building, the long metallic floors and ten foot high ceilings cascading over my view. It was extravagant and expensive, and nothing less for those who stayed at Jurassic World. I pressed the button on the side panel of the elevators, waiting impatiently for it to come. I was thrumming with life and nervousness. I had one of the strangest attractions I had ever had for Owen Grady. He was the man normal mothers would ward against, obviously a man who was single and knew the way he looked, prowling amongst the endless amounts of women here. I had no reason to be attracted to him, other than his kindness, will, bravery and good looks. He had the whole bad guy/nice guy complex in place and he knew how to work it, and it should have made me hesitant. Fearful. But the only thing I could feel was excited deep in the pit of my stomach. 

The way he exerted control over the animals and his commands–I paused, realizing I was getting worked up in an elevator. Alone. I had only met the man once, and the conditions we spent our time together on, I considered it a haphazard meeting. I mean hell the only reason we spent that amount of time together was because of a storm. But the silent thought crept into my head that he had asked me to come back. He had wanted me back. 

I shook my head, apparently losing my mind from all the hormones and heat in the air. I kicked my heels off in my apartment after I swiped in, my fingers unbuttoning the pieces of my blouse and quickly taking off my tattered skirt. I had a half an hour left to get dressed and ready, and I needed a shower. 

My fingers combed through my hair, the wet strands curling against my hand. I knew I had no time to straighten it, since straightening my hair was like a daily job all on its own. I put on a pair of black jeans that were high waisted, buttoning the middle and pulling up my zipper, the sound grating against my ears. Then I picked a black tank top and a sleeveless flannel vest in a blue tinted color. Lastly I pushed my feet into black hiking boots, which would’ve no doubt helped me yesterday as I tripped myself endlessly in the mud and muck. Heels weren’t meant for any paddock, and yet, I didn’t exactly think I would have an up close and personal look with the raptors either. I itched to put some form of make up on, but I figured it was a useless cause. I settled for some mascara and a small cat eye as a compromise between the racing thoughts in my overworking brain. 

I exhaled harshly. I looked like I was meant to work in a paddock and not inside of a secure facility in Jurassic World, but I figured since what I wore yesterday didn’t exactly help, this couldn’t hurt. I checked my watch and saw that it was a few minutes before six, and I would most likely be late. I scrambled out of my apartment, locking my door and waiting for the elevator for another painstaking two minutes. Why was I so nervous? Everything about him set me on edge, but not in a bad way. Why was it suddenly so different?

The elevator dinged and opened to the lobby, my feet set at a fast pace to the door where my car would be waiting for me outside. 

“I guess we can take that.” 

I whirled around and saw Owen leaning against the building, pushing himself away from the metal of the door to walk lazily towards me. There was a small smirk playing on his lips and a devious look in his eyes. He was wearing different clothes too. Fitted in white board shorts and a grey polo shirt, he had cleaned up from the blue shirt and vest he was wearing earlier, torn up from use. Silently I wondered if he had changed for me like I had changed for him. 

“Or that.” His head flicked to the left and I glimpsed a motor cycle resting against it’s kickstand. I could feel my heartbeat begin to pound in my chest and in my ears, the loud sound overriding whatever else I heard other than him. 

“How do you know where I live?” That was the first question I asked? I mentally kicked myself for wasting the question. 

“Called Claire and said I needed to meet you. She didn’t exactly hesitate in giving me your coordinate locations.” The corner of his lip twitched in the beginning of a smile. Oh, he’s good. 

“Great. Gotta love her,” I spun around and looked at my car, slowly looking back to him. 

“Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?” His question took me off guard and I just gazed at him mindlessly for a moment. 

“No...I haven’t.” He raised an eyebrow at me, but said nothing, walking over to the motorcycle in that slow manner of his, as if he wasn’t in a rush to be anywhere. He climbed over the side of the bike and patted the spot behind him. The spare seat with a helmet. I bit my lip and tried to suck the courage to go to him rather than anywhere else that was probably more safe and one hundred percent more logical. I hadn’t ever ridden a motorcycle, but it had always seemed like an adrenaline rush. I guess to even want to work in an amusement park like Jurassic World, you had to have a little adrenaline junkie in you. I straightened my back and walked forward confidently, swinging my leg over the bike and holding the helmet in my arms. Owen glanced over his shoulder. 

“You trust me?” He asked. It took me a minute, but I was already on the bike, I had to have some trust in him. Either that or a death wish. I nodded, words lost to me already. He put the helmet over his head and as my heart raced, I placed the helmet over my head too. 

“Hold onto me,” his voice was muffled through the helmet, but it still came out raspy and beyond sexy, almost making me dizzy enough to fall off the bike. I wasn’t one of those girls that was swayed easily, but Owen Grady wasn’t like any of those guys either. He knew what to do, and I assumed he knew how to do it well too. Slowly my fingers inched around his middle, my palms flat against his chest. I was afraid to move, or grab or touch anywhere. The idea of being on a motorcycle was uncomfortable enough, but feeling the muscles of his chest underneath my fingers and the warmth of his body against mine was enough to set me on edge. 

The engine of the bike revved and he moved, not slow enough to let me get accustomed to the movement, which would inevitably be the speed of a turtle and make us fall over sideways, but not breakneck speed either. No, it was a speed that sent my hair whipping around under the helmet and had me grasping his shirt for dear life. I couldn’t hear him chuckle through the purr and the other guests around us as we headed on the road that would slowly turn into the dirt path that I remembered taking only yesterday. I could feel him chuckle underneath my fingertips, the slow rumble. Of course he would laugh at me, we weren’t even going that fast and I was freaking out. Oh this was going to be a long ride. 

* * *

 

“You’re taking me to do what?” I asked incredulously. I couldn’t believe at that moment I was actually standing there and accepting what it was that Owen was telling me over his shoulder as he rummaged for some keys into the Raptor Paddock. We had arrived to the bungalow just a few minutes ago and already he was trying to have me killed. My job was starting to become extremely haphazard. “This is your big plan? Make me raptor bait?” 

I could practically feel the smirk over his shoulder. 

“No. I just want you to meet the girls. Properly.” I chuckled but it was out of sarcasm. 

“Oh because the first two times we met and they tried to eat me wasn’t enough!” I threw my hands in the air and spun, as if that would make him understand how crazy what he was asking me to do was. I was slowly becoming convinced he was nuts. 

“This time will be different. I’ll be in full control and the raptors will be in their security harnesses.” 

“And last time the facility broke down, and the time before that someone fell into the paddock. Along with me! It’s a death wish and I won’t do it.” At that precise moment Owen found the control pad keys to the main system and turned around, a large grin on his face before he went over what I had just said to him. 

“If you think I’m going to force you to do anything, then you’re wrong,” he walked forward, his hand reaching up and brushing a strand of hair out of my face. “But I’m asking you to trust me with this.” 

“Again with the trust,” I shook my head, exasperated. He chuckled at me and waggled his eyebrows, enticing me still to want to go back into the paddock that seemed to really want me dead. I let go of a large, pent up exhale in my chest and nodded once, pursing my lips at Owen. 

“Don’t get like that. It’ll be fun.” 

The walk over to the paddock was short, but in the heat with the bugs buzzing around like mad swarms, it was less than enjoyable. I had taken the exact same walk yesterday, only with Barry, and the differences in men were obvious in more ways than one. Owen had an immediate sense of confidence, one that I was beginning to learn wasn’t shaken lightly, and to be in a job like he had, it probably came in handy. Without confidence the raptors probably wouldn’t have imprinted on him and all of his hard work would have turned out for nothing. The scenery had changed slightly too, fallen trees being escorted away on large pickup trucks, the wood being cut so it was more manageable. The storm had taken more than I had imagined, even more than I had realized earlier on in the day. 

Owen padded over to the front entrance of the paddock, where, apparently, the raptors could be harnessed and inspected closely. How they got the raptors into the harnesses were beyond me, but I gave them kudos for doing it anyways. Owen’s fingers deftly opened the gate and with that, he entered the small, open roof compound, leading me into the space as if he was letting me tour a grand mansion. I found it sweet that Owen cared for the raptors so much, despite their apparent hate and appetite for me. Barry stood on the far end, leaning across one of the raptors which I remembered as Delta. She seemed the most rambunctious of the group, always running around the paddock, and during Owen’s simulations, she seemed to ignore him the most. 

“You’ve met Blue. There’s Echo, Charlie and Delta on the end with Barry.” He pointed to each raptor as he named them, and while the last three raptors erupted in a bout of shrill noises at my arrival, Blue seemed the most calm. I found her eyes meeting mine, or at least I thought they were, as I moved cautiously closer to each of the wild animals. I could feel Owen’s gaze boring into my back, but I tried to ignore it and move closer towards Blue, my eyes unable to look away from the beautiful blue marks on her snout and the harsh breathing through her nostrils. 

“Hi,” I murmured silently, my eyebrows lowering over my eyes in a very soft manner. 

“You can rub her, here.” He brushed his fingers over the arch of her snout and the curve of her eye, the soft sound of skin again skin filling my ears. I glanced at Owen nervously but he gave me an encouraging smile and took my hand within his, placing it gently on the top of her head. I let out a soft gasp as my fingers brushed over her skin, the soft feathery feel of scales and plume that protected her entire body. Unlike the other raptors, Blue cooed softly in my touch, tightly restrained still from growling I was sure, but she seemed to like me more in this scenario. 

“That’s strange.” Owen whispered, leaning in behind me. 

“What is?” 

“She doesn’t usually take to people like this. Blue’s the feistiest of the group.” I quirked an eyebrow and looked at the beautiful raptor who’s eyes met mine with a strange understanding. It scared me in a way, how she looked at me with knowing eyes. Silently I was reminded of the Indominus Rex and how he had looked at me with bright eyes full of curiosity and courage. 

“Is that because she’s the Beta?” The question hung in the air unanswered for a moment before Barry chimed in from the other side. 

“Maybe not because she’s a Beta, but because he’s the Alpha.” He nodded his head towards Owen. Owen shot Barry a look but said nothing as he moved to lean against the raptor who no longer seemed as dangerous as I petted her soft feathers and scaly skin. 

“She’s beautiful.” A smirk curled at the corner of Owen’s mouth. 

“Was I right?” 

“Don’t get cocky.”

“You should hang out with us after the relaxation treatment for the girls, Leon’s holding a party down at the seaside bungalow. Best spot in the park.” Barry winked at me and I could practically feel Owen’s grimace. 

“That’s not a good idea. Those guys are–”

“Nice.” 

“I was actually going to say uncoordinated, sloppy and impolite, but I guess that works too.” Owen crossed his arms, obviously defensive against Barry’s want for me to come to the party. 

“Oh and you’re any better, mate?” Barry crossed his arms too, mimicking Owen’s pose. 

“Calm it boys.” I glanced between the both of them, the impending _Mine is Bigger Than Yours_ match evident in their stances. Blue was beginning to get nervous in the cage, her back legs straining against the harness on her body. She was trying to pull away. 

“Look, I’ll go okay?” Owen wiped a hand over his face and Barry clapped his palm on my back, the hard gesture of happiness made the muscles in my back ache. Dammit he hit hard. I held back a wince and peeked at Owen from underneath my eyelashes. 

“I knew I liked this girl!” Barry whooped and hollered out of the pen, closing the door behind him with an obvious beep and click. 

“You realize you’ll be the only girl there, right? In a group full of guys? Do you have an even bigger death wish?” I made a point of moving closer to Blue’s eyes and gazed over at Owen. 

“It would seem so. Anyways, I have you, right? To protect me from all that, Mr. Alpha?” Owen narrowed his eyes at me before finally sighing and taking a defeated pose against the wall. 

“I guess.” 


End file.
